By Esther Onyegbula

Stakeholders in the non-profit and social enterprise sector have urged Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to prioritise sustainability strategies to enable them to thrive beyond dwindling donor support.

Speaking at the annual workshop themed “Charting through Beaten Paths” held at the NERDC Conference Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the convener and Executive Director, Centre for Individual and Child Development (CICD), Chizoba Akunne, warned that over-reliance on grants could cripple organisations when funding dries up.

“It’s good to get grants, but beyond grants, we need to get sustainable. With dwindling donor funds, how do you still run your operations? The first thing you must do is write out your vision and stick to it. Don’t tilt your vision to where the money is,” she said.

Chizoba urged NGOs to identify their “cash cows” and develop internal income streams. Citing her own experience, she explained how proceeds from therapy sessions fund her organisation’s free counselling services. She cautioned that waiting for external funding before taking action would only stall impact.

“There are NGOs cancelling their programmes because they lack funding. If you don’t want your NGO to die, you must be sustainable. Look for models that work for your organisation,” she added.

CEO, Team Lead, Plus Incubation Hub, and founder, School of Grand Success, Edward Essiene, stressed that clarity and alignment were critical in attracting the right funders.

“If you’re looking for grants, you’re on the supply side. You need to find a funder whose passion aligns with your work. Be clear on the problem you are solving, for whom, and why. Then align with their funding mandate,” he said.

Essiene added that mismanagement of past grants had eroded funders’ confidence in the sector.

“Grants are not free money; they are impact funds. It’s money given to you in good faith to solve a problem, not for personal use. You need to do the work, deliver value, and be accountable,” he said.

On the role of communication, Business Coach and training consultant, Funmi Omotosho, urged NGOs to leverage media and storytelling to amplify their work.

“Whatever you’re doing, if nobody knows about it, you won’t succeed. Use social media, radio, TV, put your story out there. People connect to emotion, so tell your story in a way that inspires,” she said.

Omotosho encouraged organisations to consistently create visibility for their work. “Social media is free, so make sure your activities are visible. Create a page, advertise, show your work, and remain resilient,” she added.

Similarly, CEO/Data Science Lead, Creditude Global Services, Eyo O. Eyo, underscored the importance of building credible and diverse boards for organisational sustainability.

“A board should go beyond oversight to provide strategic direction and accountability. Diversity in experience, gender, age, and culture is non-negotiable. Transparency, documentation, and accountability will make you credible and attract funding,” Eyo said, noting that directors should have fixed tenures to encourage fresh perspectives.

The workshop, organised by CICD, featured sessions on building credible boards, storytelling, and developing sustainable income strategies for NGOs.